Nomination Deadline: March 1st

The prize was established and endowed in 1939 by Daniel W. Mead, Hon.M.ASCE, a Society past president. The contest provides an opportunity for alert young civil engineers to further their professional development and gain national attention.

Award

Up to 5 winners will be chosen. First place will receive a plaque. Other winners will receive certificates.

2025 Recipient

  • Sarah Hendrix, S.M.ASCE, University of Texas at Austin

Read the 2025 award-winning paper (PDF)

View all winners

Note: Beginning in 2026, the submission process has changed: For chapters in Region 1-9 attending their regional student symposium, papers should be submitted to the symposium host by March 1st using their preferred means of submittal. For chapters in Region 10 and those not attending a regional symposium, they must be submitted through the Faculty Advisor to [email protected]. All papers must have a statement at the bottom attesting that, except where otherwise cited, the submission is the work of the student author and not AI or NLP. Submissions without this statement will not be considered for recognition. 

2026 Topic

Engineering Justice: Advancing Accessibility, Equity, and Inclusion Through Ethical Infrastructure Design in Alignment with the ASCE Code of Ethics and Strategic Plan.

Civil engineering is not only about the design and construction of vertical and horizontal infrastructure; it is central to shaping communities and addressing inequities. In alignment with the ASCE Code of Ethics and ASCE’s Strategic Plan (Inspire, Magnify, Deliver), critically analyze how civil engineers can design infrastructure that uplifts marginalized populations and reduces disparities in access, mobility, and opportunity. Discuss the ethical responsibilities of civil engineers in promoting social equity, accessibility, and community well-being through their professional practice.

In your response, identify both successful strategies and areas where the profession falls short and how the profession can address this disparity, highlighting emerging technologies, engineering standards, or practices that could elevate the quality of life for all persons.

Authors are encouraged to develop and apply their own original thoughts. The use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing models (NLP) such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT© are neither encouraged nor discouraged. However, if such models are used, all instances shall be cited as work completed by the respective generative AI/NLP. Failure to cite all instances of generative AI/NLP use will be considered plagiarism.

Entries for the contest shall be limited to 1 paper from each ASCE or AEI Student Organization.

Questions should be directed to ASCE Student Programs.

Rules

  1. The Daniel W. Mead Prize for Students may be awarded annually on the basis of a paper on professional ethics. Each year the specific topic of the contest for the forthcoming year shall be selected by the Committee on Student Members for the Student Award.
  2. Members of Student Organizations of the Society who are in good standing at the time their papers are submitted are eligible for the contest, unless they have previously received the national award for which they are competing.
  3. Papers for the national contests shall (a) be limited to 1 paper from each Student Organization; (b) not exceed 2,000 words in length; (c) be written by only 1 person; and (d) not have previously been published in other school or Society publications.
  4. The Committee on Student Members shall review submissions and recommend the top five student papers as Society finalists, of which one may be selected as the national winner for approval by the Executive Committee.
  5. All finalists shall receive an appropriate certificate recognizing their achievements. If there is a national winner, they shall receive a wall plaque rather than a certificate.

Nomination

To nominate, a completed submission will consist of a single .pdf file containing:

  1. Cover letter, from the Faculty Advisor stating the name, ASCE/AEI member ID number, phone number, and e-mail address for the paper's author.
  2. The paper being submitted.

The name of the file shall follow this format:

Mead Student Prize - Author's Last Name - Name of University.pdf

For student chapters in Region 1-9 who will be attending their regional student symposium, papers should be submitted to the symposium host by March 1st using their preferred means of submittal. For chapters in Region 10 and those not attending a regional symposium, they must be submitted through the Faculty Advisor to [email protected] and must be received on or before 11:59 pm (EST) March 1.